“Today” show

Following two seasons of offbeat critiques and occasionally incoherent ramblings, rock star Steven Tyler is stepping down as a judge on “American idol.”

“After some long…hard…thoughts…I’ve decided it’s time for me to let go of my mistress ‘American Idol’ before she boils my rabbit,” said Tyler in a press released issued by Fox Thursday afternoon. “I strayed from my first love, Aerosmith, and I’m back – but instead of begging on my hands and knees, I’ve got two fists in the air and I’m kicking the door open with my band.”

And Tyler may not be the only “Idol” defector. His announcement came on the same day that Jennifer Lopez hinted during a “Today” show appearance that she may be leaving prime time’s most popular series.

“I am thinking it’s maybe time for me to go and do other things I really love to do like films … and performing,” she said, adding that she already had stayed with “Idol” a year longer than she originally intended.

Would a double departure prove disastrous for “Idol”? Maybe, or maybe not. Tyler and Lopez arrived with much fanfare in the season after Simon Cowell left. At that time, there were dire predictions that the show was on its last legs.

But the big-name judges upped the curiosity factor, injected “Idol” with some star power and brought a kinder-gentler attitude to the judging process. The result was a re-energized show and a bump in the ratings.

This season, however, the novelty wore off. Ratings slipped dramatically as many critics bemoaned the loss of edgy, Simon-like critiques. Moreover, Tyler often came across as detached and bored with the whole process.

So perhaps an infusion of fresh blood is exactly what’s needed on “Idol,” which now finds itself in a crowded genre that includes “The X Factor” and “The Voice.” The only way to keep pace, it seems, is to hire another big name or two. But who?

Tyler, meanwhile, is apparently happy to be back making music with Aerosmith, which has launched a concert tour and plans to release a new album in November.

“The next few years are going to be dedicated to kicking some serious ass — the ultimate in auditory takeover,” he said.

Declaring that “it’s an honor to be here,” Savannah Guthrie officially took over the co-anchor seat alongside Matt Lauer on the “Today” show Monday.

“It truly is a new day around here,” Lauer said in welcoming Guthrie as his latest partner. Guthrie arrived just 11 days after Ann Curry was thrown under the bus by NBC and made a tearful exit from the popular morning show.

Lauer, who according to some reports, pushed for Curry’s ouster, said Guthrie brings “a great attitude and what we like to call a weird sense of humor.”

Guthrie actually was in Curry’s seat the day after the latter departed, but NBC didn’t announce her promotion until after the show. The main “Today” crew had last week off.

Guthrie, 40, had been serving as the co-anchor of the third hour of “Today,” alongside Natalie Morales and Al Roker, and as the show’s chief legal correspondent.

Seen as a smart, funny and natural performer, Guthrie arrives at a crucial time for “Today,” which has had its longtime morning ratings dominance challenged by ABC’s “Good Morning America” in recent months. The network was reportedly eager to have a new co-anchor on board in time for the London Olympics, which begin July 27.

Guthrie, 40, clearly has the credentials for the job, and she already is proving to be adept when it comes to trading playful, off-the-cuff banter with Lauer, which was never one of Curry’s strengths.

Still, she’s in somewhat of a tough position. Fans of Curry, who feel that she got a raw deal, aren’t likely to warm up to the new anchor. Not right away, at least. And if ratings don’t pick up soon, it will be Guthrie getting the blame — not the old guys, Lauer and Roker.

But for now, it’s all smiles and good vibes on the “Today” set, where Guthrie was feted with an expansive barrage of highlight clips ranging from her childhood, through her days as a whiz-kid law student and early stints as TV journalist. We learned that she can be a “shark” as an interviewer, that she’s somewhat star-struck around celebrities and a bit of a klutz when it comes to sports.

We also learned (from her mom), much to her embarrassment, that her favorite book as a child was “Dreams Can Come True,” about a cheerleader who fantasizes about being pretty and popular.

And now Guthrie’s new dream begins.

“I’m so proud and honored to be in a place occupied by so many women I admire,” she said. “… And I love being with you guys everyday.”